I do walk Darwin most days, twice a day, and over the summer months, not always with a good grace; not always as far or as long as Darwin would have liked. It has been very, very hot and I am a born and bred Northern England lass.
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| Heart, soul and the one swollen foot! |
I read
Natalie's post on Chickenblog about making those steps count, walking with eyes, ears and heart open to what's around, making it fun. And cos I love Natalie and I love her blog, I'm walking with heart and soul this week and for weeks to come, I hope. Thanks Natalie.
(I have one swollen foot and one perfectly normal foot - why should that be? It has seriously hampered my shoe purchasing fetish as I can't get both feet into the shoes I like...and curiously, it's not as bad here in the heat of Spain as it was in Huddersfield.) But I digress.
Whilst we have stuck to the known pathway as usual this week, we've walked with more focus and I've thought more and I feel more positive because of it. I wanted to see my footprints in the sandy pathways and although I rarely see anyone on my walks, I was surprised to see so many marks of feet that also 'this way trod'.
(You'll have to trust me that that what I am pointing out really
is one of my footprints from a previous day/walk!)
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| The walk up to the pine trees just round the corner from our house |
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| COME ON, SLOWCOACH! |
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| So far, it's all uphill - really good for the heart. |
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| Look up, look up - blue skies, a variety of trees! |
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| Look down - how far we have climbed! |
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| Look up, look up- these are big, beautiful trees |
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| What Darwin uses for a ball - a tree full of balls! |
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| Top of the hill - behind this wall is La Mota - love the railings. |
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| What a beauty - must show this to Darwin |
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| Hey Darwin! Look, no, look... |
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| He's got it! Clever boy. |
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The view across Alcala la Real from the top of the hill - right in the middle is my friend's house.
I wave. |
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It's the one right in the middle with three small windows and a wide window on the top floor.
They can't see me but I always wave.
They have the best views of all from here. |
And at this point, at the top of the hill but not entering the castle walls, I turn around and go back, breathing in the scents of pine forest, rosemary and dust. The noise of this noisy town is only just audible and I've done this walk eight times this week - four times on my own, three times with Mateo and once with Romy and Ruy. Mateo took Darwin on my teaching day and one day I went to the olive groves instead. I see few people on this walk, though this week, on one occasion, I met one of my students; on another, I saw a man on a beautiful horse and on a third, I met another man calling his dog. He was calling 'Mozart, Mozart'. So I called 'Darwin, Darwin' and as we passed, we smiled a cultured, rather smug smile at each other. He wasn't Spanish.
Hard to ignore the beauty around me in any case, doing it with
heart and soul has deepened the whole experience and I have had a very reflective week, felt much more centred and have found new energy.
Walk, live, breathe; walk, live, breathe. Today, as a special treat, Ruy, Romy and I (and Darwin) did our walk, live, breathe via the Paseo de los Alamos - the park the centre of town - and then, when we'd walked, lived and breathed a bit, we had an ice-cream each.
Ice-cream is sometimes heart and soul food, don't you think?
fabulous post! lovely pictures too x
ReplyDeletemeditative walking is amazing - Christine R
I'm trying really hard to get back into reiki too, Christine - been busy and under the weather and not enough time to think about what I might need myself! It's lovely to have the children at home but we've had almost 3 months of school holidays....
DeleteAxxx
Hello Annie:
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful walk and to have it so close to home is, we feel, an additional bonus and something which, even if you occasionally tire in the heat, is so clearly loved by Darwin.
Sometimes, as you are discovering, it is good to have such times for quiet thought and reflection and also, which we know you do, for close observation of the world, in miniature, around you and to notice so many details which might so easily be overlooked.
We love the idea of Darwin meeting with Mozart. Such joy!
It is a lovely walk and even though it's uphill all the way, coming back is easier. And being so quiet, no one can hear if I accidentally talk out loud...
DeleteI too loved the meeting of Darwin and Mozart. Really tickled me! Axxx
Your picture of the walk through the pines could have been taken from behind my house. In fact I will take a photo and send. I shall think of you and Darwin walking through your forest when Jake and I are walking through ours
ReplyDeleteThat would be lovely! As well as being lovely for me, the pine forests have fewer spiny or spiky things underfoot for Darwin. And I love the hot smell of the pine forests. I will think of you and Jake when I go this evening. Axxx
DeleteI think concentrating on being aware of things on your walk is agreat idea. It is so easy to just do it, and although that might give you some space to think about nothing...sometimes valuable....it is so much more enjoyable when you really notice what is around you. I am envious of your Darwin walks...our gorgeous Lucy ( not as culturally interesting a name as darwin, Mozart...or Elijah....my last cat...cos Jess chose Lucy's name, when she was about 3) died 3 years ago, and I still miss her, for the walks and for her complete devotion. Iam delighted that Back to Bodrum now has Jake, through TAG, and look forward to following more of Darwin and Jake's adventures in the future. J xxx
ReplyDeleteI do find I tend to talk out loud when I'm walking - (it's an 'E' thing) - but it's been good this week to look and listen too - and not to get too caught up in what going on in my head.
DeleteI know a lovely Spanish lady here that I don't see so often; she always called Darwin 'Einstein' no matter how often I've told her. I can see how she got there!
I would walk without a dog but probably not as often and not as consistently and I know what it's like to lose and miss a well-loved pet. Bodley was my first dog and there's never been another like him.
Axxx
The dogs can walk themselves...they go off into the corner of rainforest beside the coffee plantation every morning and return panting an hour or so later but are very willing to accompany me on a walk up to the coffee on the gravel road.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy the daily changes in the plants I see, take a basket in case any fruit is ripe, and love to stand at the top of the road looking down into the valley with the water from the spring cooling my feet.
Oh, wow, Fly, that just sounds dreamy. I'm sure the scent of freshly-brewed coffee is entirely in my imagination and not possible, but that's what hovers deliciously over your words here! Axxx
DeleteThank you!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, this post was such a welcome light
for my heart and soul... you actually were the
single greatest influence in getting me out today,
and then posting, too.
And your walk! What beauty.
This theme is really paying off for me... I love it!
Back at you, Natalie - you made a difference to our walk. Sorry not all your walking was in quite the surroundings you'd hoped. Hope you are feeling much better now. Thank you. Axxx
DeleteI love that idea of walking - my dog walking doesn't seem to happen in the summer holidays, but my September resolution is to get back to walking every day!
ReplyDeletePomona x
Walking the dog was becoming a bit of a chore - so turning it to something to look forward has really helped get me out in a positive frame of mind. Much more enjoyable. And the temperature has dropped a bit so we will push on further. Go for it! Axxx
DeleteA fantastic post, Annie, thoughtful and thought-provoking and also giving me a new blog to explore. :-) It also makes me ashamed of how little I walk, other than around the garden. I used to do more, but lately I've been lazy and don't have a dog to make me. Incidentally that mindfulness you wrote about is something I've tried to practice for a long time now in different ways - living in the now, not the then. Important stuff....
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you'll find much to inspire and interest you on Natalie's blog. I admire her very much and love her humour, her take on things, the challenges she faces and her wonderful family.
DeleteHaving dog responsibilities is sometimes a bind and a bore, but I do enjoy walking and the mindfulness of really taking things in has added to the pleasure. I try to be centred and calm but have to admit, sometimes I am totally dizzy and disorganised, so a bit of planned concentration is good for me. :-) Axxx
Cute dog - great name. I must walk more. Thanks for reminding me. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteGlad you like the name - you have no idea how long it took us to find it and how many times we changed our minds! (But at least we can say we came to it by a process of natural selection - never fails to amuse me.)
DeleteWalking is good and it's very good if you can walk somewhere wonderful. Have a good week - hope you find time to walk. Axxx
Your post has go me thinking Annie. Before Beki died in June, I rarely took her and Poppy out for walks because the lanes down from the house are steep and uneven in places and Beki had a habit of pulling on the lead so I avoided taking them out. I can manage Poppy because she's much smaller but the heat of the last couple of months hasn't inspired me to walk far.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it will be cooler soon and I intend to start walking Poppy every day and treally appreciate everything around me.
Lovely pics xx
I too try to practice mindfulness, not always successfully. But reading this I am feeling immensely guilty. I am home alone with half the dogs while the Mr. walks the rest as I have declared it to be too hot for me out there. It's 22 degrees! I wouldn't last a moment in your part of the world. I'll walk the rest later when it's cooler, if we don't get a storm.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you can walk so close to the town and meet so few people.